Episode 8

Even after only a few words with Leonard, Russelin felt a chill down her spine.

‘He’s far more dangerous than I expected.’

Though Leonard’s intense aura weighed heavily on her, Russelin still tried to gauge him. But each time her gaze lingered, she felt as though he could see right through her thoughts. When she deliberately looked away, Leonard narrowed his eyes.

“Hmm. Is silence your usual nature?”

“…What do you mean?”

“You seemed quite bold and talkative that day.”

“…!”

Russelin froze, forgetting that she had once chosen this man as her potential ally. Seeing no response from her, the glimmer of interest in Leonard’s eyes slowly faded. Before she could gather her thoughts to speak, he stepped back, completely distancing himself from her.

“I regret being rude upon our first meeting.”

“…”

“Get some rest. I’ll call Duke Bert to retrieve you.”

Russelin was taken aback by how easily Leonard seemed ready to withdraw. His broad back felt impossibly distant. If she let him go now… Unable to finish her desperate thought, she acted on instinct, rising to her feet.

“What is the meaning of this?”

Leonard’s curious voice brought her back to her senses. Russelin realized, to her own surprise, that she was clinging to his collar, her fingers trembling with urgency. Though startled by her own audacity, she didn’t avert her gaze from him. Under Leonard’s sharp, penetrating stare, she stood frozen.

“I… I just…”

“Speak clearly.”

Leonard’s voice, low and chilling, made her stammer all the more. The stern tone sent a wave of unease through her, yet he waited patiently, just as he said. Unable to bear the strange silence, Russelin dropped her head and spoke in a soft, hesitant voice.

“You said… you wanted to talk with me…”

“And?”

“…If you stay with me just a little longer…”

“And if I do?”

“I think… we might actually talk.”

Her voice quivered, saturated with an instinctive fear, but the earnestness in her tone was evident, even to him. Leonard observed her with his cold gaze before extending his hand.

Tap!

“A-Ah!”

Leonard took hold of her small, trembling hand and tugged her forward. Startled, Russelin instinctively lifted her head as he directed, meeting his intense gaze head-on. Their eyes, filled with conflicting emotions, clashed in the empty space between them. When she instinctively tried to look away, Leonard’s voice dropped into a quiet growl.

“Don’t look away.”

“…!”

“If you want something, face it head-on. How long will you keep running?”

Russelin froze, momentarily overwhelmed by Leonard’s forceful presence. As she fidgeted, he sighed softly, his gaze losing interest.

“I pushed you too hard. Your fragile body’s already been through enough.”

“…!”

“Excuse me.”

Instead of pressing her further, Leonard released his tight hold, loosening his grip. His touch, which had seemed so cold and distant, was unexpectedly warm—something that only made him feel more dangerous to Russelin.

“Relax. I’ll do as you wish.”

“As I wish…?”

“Yes, just as you desire.”

The dangerous tension vanished as quickly as it had come. Leonard’s voice softened as if to soothe her, and when Russelin finally looked up at him, he merely regarded her with detached calm.

“This happened because of me, didn’t it?”

“…”

“I’m not so irresponsible as to leave you to worry.”

Leonard, now composed, showed no trace of the wild magic that had surged moments before. In stark contrast, Russelin, still holding onto him, was visibly trembling. But Leonard didn’t rush to console her; instead, he continued speaking with an unaffected tone.

“It must have startled you. You appeared just when I was struggling to rein in my power.”

“…Rein it in?”

Russelin couldn’t hide her surprise. Unlike Aydin, who had her by his side to control his magic, Leonard had no one to aid him.

“Why the surprise now? Thanks to you, I managed to avoid losing control.”

Though he described it as “barely,” his expression remained oddly calm. Russelin found herself wondering if he would have handled it just fine, even without her.

“Well, since my attempts to hide it have clearly failed, shall we properly introduce ourselves?”

“…”

“Leonard Estere. You can call me by my first name or title, whichever you prefer.”

Why did such a brief introduction feel so heavy? Russelin prided herself on her intuition, but with this man, she found herself at a loss.

“And what should I call you?”

“…”

“Or are you already one of Bert’s people?”

Leonard’s nonchalant question, despite her intent gaze, felt like a thorn pricking at her. The mention of “Bert” from his lips was especially grating. Russelin, feeling her chest tighten with frustration, answered impulsively.

“…Please, call me Russelin.”

“Russelin, then.”

Even the way he slowly savored her name in his deep voice felt laden with danger. Russelin had chosen to approach Leonard Estere first, yet now, faced with his intense presence, she felt as though she were being drawn in by him instead.

“I’ll remember that you saved me, Russelin.”

“I didn’t do anything. It’s not like I could do anything anyway.”

Whether it was that night or now, Russelin habitually diminished herself, something she had picked up from Aydin’s constant belittling. Realizing this, she let out a quiet sigh, regretting it instantly. She didn’t notice Leonard’s gaze darkening at her words.

“Is that so?”

She lifted her head, only to freeze in place.

“Ah…!”

Leonard leaned in, his face close to hers. The fierce intensity in his eyes made her feel as if she might be devoured.

“Who fed you such nonsense?”

Even as he uttered the coarse words, his voice remained steady and calm. His lips curled slowly into a faint, predatory smile.

“Because I, for one, am quite intrigued by you.”

“…”

“Even setting aside the cursed fate of the Ragnars.”

“…!”

Leonard’s characteristic detachment pressed down on Russelin. Despite his words sounding like a casual expression of interest, his voice was heavy, almost solemn. Perhaps that was why his words lingered in her mind long after he’d finished speaking.

‘Setting aside the cursed fate of the Ragnars…’

Could there be anything left for me if I discard the fate of the cursed priestess? My entire life, from its beginning to its eventual ruin, was rooted in the cursed destiny of being a “half-baked” priestess. Russelin knew this all too well. Her identity was defined by the miserable fate of that half-priestess, tied up in Aydin Bert’s grasp. Her gaze, filled with a rare desperation, wandered helplessly and finally settled on him.

“Russelin?”

Leonard Estere. A man who dared to walk his own path, unshaken by the destiny imposed by the gods.

‘Yes, he’s different from me.’

Any fleeting sense of kinship she’d felt with him evaporated in an instant. She had chosen him precisely because he felt distant, as if he inhabited a different world. Yet now, Russelin’s eyes darkened with an unspoken melancholy.

“Your complexion doesn’t look good… what’s troubling you?”

This man was sharp enough to notice emotions her own fiancé never bothered to understand. But this time, Russelin instinctively stepped back. Leonard, perhaps uncharacteristically, paused, momentarily thrown off.

“Frightened again? Did I say something wrong?”

Although her reaction could have annoyed him, Leonard merely stood there, arms crossed, waiting for her response with a faint, amused indifference. In contrast to the cornered Russelin, Leonard appeared almost leisurely, as if none of this was worth his full attention.

“No… if anything, I was the one who spoke carelessly, Your Grace.”

“So you’re not frightened, just putting up distance. Why, did it finally occur to you that this is dangerous?”

“Th-that’s not…”

“Seems a bit late to back out now, don’t you think?”

A wry smile curled at one corner of Leonard’s mouth, and then, with a quick movement, he pulled Russelin’s hand, placing it against his chest. Her small hand landed on the firm muscle beneath his thin shirt, making her blush uncontrollably.

“H-Hey, you’re… too close…”

“You didn’t mind clinging to me just fine before.”

“…!”

Russelin looked up at him, unable to conceal her flustered expression, and he responded with a satisfied smile.

“Yes, like that.”

“…”

“It suits you much better than holding back.”

“Why are you…?”

“Who knows. Maybe it’s just that without a little stimulation…”

Leonard released her hand but then lifted his other to gently cup her cheek. The rough, calloused tips of his fingers brushed over her lips, sending a tingling sensation through her body.

“…you won’t relax at all.”

“I… I just…”

“You only approach when you need me, don’t you? That sort of thing really doesn’t sit well with me.”

“You make me sound like a bad person!”

Russelin hastily protested, and he chuckled quietly. The feeling of her lips moving against his fingers with each word tickled, lingering between them.

“Then don’t be one.”

“…!”

“So stop hiding those half-hearted expressions, or you might lose whatever interest I have.”

Leonard pressed her subtly, not with any overt threat, but with a quiet persistence that left no doubt he would not yield until he got what he wanted. Feeling his warm breath drawing closer, Russelin instinctively lowered her head in retreat.

“I don’t particularly like it when you avoid my gaze, either.”

“T-Then what am I supposed to…!”

Without realizing it, Russelin raised her head, falling into the trap of his provocations.